1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention lies within the field of golf. More particularly, it lies within the field devoted to the design, manufacture and utilization of a golf club.
The field resides within the field not only of golf club design and utilization of golf clubs, but the manufacture of those clubs through improved manufacturing methods.
The overall effect of the disclosure herein is to provide a newly designed golf club, as well as an improved method for the manufacture thereof, all within the golf club field for improved golf club functions.
2. The Prior Art
The prior art with regard to properly weighted clubs was initiated over fifty years ago. The design efforts directed toward properly weighted clubs, and clubs that functioned in an improved manner was initially effectuated by having iron clubs made with a particular weighting that was suitable for a golfer's swing.
The weighting of the club and the design weight of the club specifically encompassed the general idea of maintaining a club swing weight which was comfortable during a prescribed swing. Not only was the effort to make the club swing weight comfortable, but it was to be balanced.
In ascertaining the balance of the club with regard to the swing weight, it was customary to provide a standard club and remove or add weight to it. During the removal process, the clubs could be ground. However, the weight adding process was generally done within the club shaft or hosel.
The way the weight was added in the hosel was that weight was actually placed within the hosel to provide for a prescribed swing. This measurably accounted for the balance of the entire club as to its relationship with regard to the club shaft and the head of the club. However, it did not account for the relationship of the club head with regard to the impact moment of the club head against the ball.
During the development of such golf clubs and methods for establishing balance, there were numerous attempts to provide the balance by way of certain shaft balancing machines. Some of these machines were akin to a central fulcrum that provided a movable weight for the proper balance of the club. Others prescribed certain centrifugral movements to the club with the shaft so as to allow for weighting in a proper manner for balance of the entire shaft with the club head.
The foregoing all establish the general balance of a club in combination with a shaft so that a person's desired swing weight was generally accommodated for. However, in no instance did they apply the principles of torque and moment with regard to impact moment for the club head.
At a later point in time, it was recognized that the impact of a club head against a ball provided a certain torque or moment if the center of moments was not properly impacted on the club head face. To this end, certain designs tried to effectuate a proper relationship of the club head face in its overall weighted characteristics with regard to the impact that would normally be encountered by a ball. In other words, when a ball impacted a club head and it was not at the center of moments, it caused a certain amount of torque or movement of the club head.
To accommodate for the torque or movement of the club head upon the impact of a ball, certain weighting was relied upon. Such weighting incorporated excess weight at the heel or the toe of the club. In such a weight relationship. when a ball was impacted at the toe or the heel through a faulty swing and golf shot, the torque or moment was not as great. This was due to the fact that there was a greater amount of mass at the particular point of impact, even though the point of impact was not at the center of moments. These designs have incorporated various weighting means that were on a permanently weighted basis to provide such offsets.
In some cases, the clubs have been provided with weighting means in the form of lead or shot applied to the toe or the heel. Also, there have been certain weighting efforts by changing the overall club head profile into various configurations. Such configurations encompassed the concept of moving the club head profile at various angles and relationships so that streamlining and balancing could be accomplished.
In other cases, designs incorporated a plastic backing behind a metal face or a plastic insert or other means for providing a less dense area with a more dense area in another discrete location.
In all of the foregoing designs, there has been no accommodation with respect to providing an effective hitting area consistently within the proximate area of the center of moments. This particular club provides an effective hitting area and a series of matched clubs. The clubs allow for a pre-established center of moments to be marked on the club and show the golfer where the center of moments and approximate effective hitting area is.
This invention accomplishes this by providing for a peripheral or perimeter weighting of the club. In order to allow for the peripheral or perimeter weighting while at the same time eliminating excessive swing weight, the club is made from an investment casting that is hollow and has an open end. The cavity or hollow portion is filled with a plastic, such as a urethane foam, polystyrene foam and the like, including other plastics.
The club is finished by means of a cap or cover over the open end that is welded or attached in any suitable manner over the cavity opening. The hollow portion of the club is retained by a core imposed therein during the investment casting process.
To further enhance the function of the club, the profile of the club can be made such that the peripheral or perimeter weighting can be increased toward the base of the club. In this manner, the peripheral weighting allows the effective hitting area to be lowered on the club for more accurate and favorable shots. This is particularly helpful during certain iron shots in order to allow for proper contact of the club head against the ball.
The method for making the club through the process is enhanced by means of a method which specifically directs itself toward the provision of readily finding the center of moments of the club head. This is based upon an impact means that provides certain impacts. The impacts are read on the club head in a manner whereby torque or moment forces are transduced with respect to the heel and toe, as well as the top and base of the club.
The impacts can be derived to form an output from the transducer to a readout. This readout can be with either a digital readout to zero out the relationship of the transducer sensing off center moment impact, or the output can be provided on a tube such as a cathode ray tube or oscilloscope.
The foregoing club and method of manufacture of the club is deemed to be novel over the prior art and specifically allows for the formation of a golf club so that an effective hitting area (sweet spot) can be effectuated and maximized for the benefit of the golfer.